Thanksgiving wines

Thanksgiving is coming and the question most people ask me around this time of year is “What wine goes with turkey?”. I usually suggest that they try to think of the whole turkey dinner as a pairing and not just the turkey meat. Turkey meat is pretty bland but the turkey stuffing is an intense combination of breads, butter, herbs and spices. Then there’s the gravy which is rich and fatty and we can’t forget all the side dishes like potatoes, turnip, sweet potatoes, cranberries and possibly other dishes like that weird jello dish with vegetables floating inside (I’ll pass on that). The whole meal is a copious feast filled with rich flavours that can overpower a lot of wines. A wine that is soft like an oaked Chardonnay or Viognier will not stand out and will likely tastes flat. Higher acidity wines like Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling help cut through the fat and compliment the meal. If you prefer red wine instead of white, I would suggest a more subtle red like Pinot Noir which has less tannic structure and also goes well with baked ham.